Safety-gate for draw-bridges



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. B. R. HOYT & L. FRAOHER. SAFETY GATE FORDRAW BRIDGES.

Patented Dec. 24, 1889.

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2 B. R. HOYT & L. PRACHER.

SAFETY GATE FOR DRAWBRIDGES.

No. 418,027. Patented Dec. 24, 1 889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN R. I'IOYT- AND LOUIS FRAOHER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SAFETY-GATE FOR DRAW-BRIDGES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 418,027, dated December24, 1889.

Application filed October 16, 1889. Serial No. 327,242. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, BENJAMIN R. HOYT and LOUIS FRAGHER, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Detroit, in the county "of \Vayne and Stateof Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSafety-Gates for Draw-Bridges, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in bridge-gatesespecially designed for swinging draw-bridges.

The invention consists, first, in providing the swinging draw with gatesat the ends of the draw, which gates operate in conjunction with thegates at the stationary ends of the bridge; second, in combining theoperating mechanism of said gates with the mechanism for swinging thedraw in such a manner that they are adapted to be operated independentof each other; and, further, in the peculiar construction, arrangementand combination of the various parts, as more fully hereinafterdescribed, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in whicht Figure 1 isa side elevation of a draw-bridge of known construction and providedwith our improved bridge-gates. Fig. 2 is an elevation of one of theextension ends of abutments of the bridge with the gates shown in closedposition. Fig. 3 is a plan of the abutting ends of the stationary partsof vthe bridge and of the draw, the latter being partially swung out ofposition. Fig. 4 is a vertical central section through the bridge-gateswhen closed. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the mechanism fortransmitting motion either to the gates or to the draw.

A are the stationary ends or abutments of a bridge.

B is a swinging draw.

C is the abode of the bridge-tender, in which the operating-machine ishoused, and D D are the respective gates guarding the ends of thestationary part of the bridge and the ends of the draw. These gates aresubstantially of known character, in so far that they are drawn up ordown to open or close the passageway across the bridge. Our inventionconsists in placing one of such gates at the end of the stationary partand one at the adjoining end of the draw in such close proximity to eachother and provided with suitable devices that if the draw is closed thegates are connected together so that they may be raised and loweredjointly. To this end we preferably provide one of the gates with a tenona, which engages into a corresponding mortise b on the adjoining gate.This mortise-and-tenon engagement we preferably form on the upper railat two places on opposite sides of the cen ter of the bridge, at or nearthe point where the vertical guide-posts c of the gates are placed. Bythis arrangement it will be seen that if the draw is closed the raisingor lowering of one of the gates will likewise carry the other gate; orany construction havinga like purpose may be used instead of themortiseand-tenon connection.

To bring the gates in as close proximity as possible and obtain betterconstructive advantages, we preferably construct them upon a curve withthe center of the draw as a radius, as shown in Fig. 3.

WVe apply the operating mechanism to the gates at the end of the draw,and instead of deriving the movement from the movement of the draw, asin the ordinary construction, we derive it from the motive power whichoperates the draw. To this end we journal at the side of the draw, andin suitable bearings or other convenient place which will not interferewith the motive power, the shaft 6. The power which operates the draw isapplied in any suitable manner. Upon the shaft we arrange a slidingsleeve, which carries a pinion f and a gear pinion g. This slidingsleeve is controlled by means of a hand-lever h, which is arranged inconvenient proximity to the place ofthe bridge-tender and operates,through suitable connection, to move the sliding sleeve upon the shaft6, to throw it either in engagement with the gate-operating mechanism orwith the mechanism for swinging the draw.

The mechanism for operating the gates may be arranged in different ways.In the drawings we show two shafts j, journaled in suitable bearings andrunning from the center toward the opposite ends of the draw, the innerend of each being provided with a bevelgear 70, adapted to engage withthe beveled pinion g, and the outer end being provided with a suitablebeveled pinion m, which engages with a corresponding pinion on thetransverse shaft n, which is journaled in suitable bearings near the endof the draw. The same construction is applied to both ends of the draw,the other end of the draw being provided with the same device. Motion isderived from these transverse shafts n to raise and lower the gates byany one of the known ways-such as by means of endless chains passingover sprocket-pinions, or, preferably, by means of endless belts orropes, which, when the gates arrive at their upper or lower positions,are adapted to slip, and thereby prevent any damage.

The gates are counterbalanced in the usual manner, and other usualprovisions are made for the safe operation of the same.

We do not confine ourselves to the particular construction of thegate-operating devices, as it isobvious that different modifications maybe made-such as, for instance, shown'in dotted lines in Fig. 5, whereinthe arrangement is shown for transmitting motion from the pinion g to asuitable chain gearing to the transverse shafts n.

The pinion f carried by the sliding sleeve forms the means fortransmitting motion to the draw when it is thrown, by a suitablemovement of the lever 72-, into engagement with the operating mechanismwhich moves the draw, such as the circular rack Z on top of thesupporting-pier 0 of the draw, with which the pinion f is adapted toengage by moving the sleeve in the proper direction, which at the sametime throws the beveled pinion g out of engagement with the operatingmechanism of the gates.

In practice, the parts being arranged and constructed substantiallyas'shown and described, it will be seen that the device is adaptedforoperation as follows: Before opening the draw the bridge-tenderthrows his lever h into the proper position to transmit the power to thegate-operating mechanism to lower the gates at the draw, and by theconnection of the same with the gates at the stationary part of thebridge raises the latter simultaneously. As soon as this isaccomplishedthe bridge-tender throws his lever into the proper position to throw thegateoperating mechanism out of gear, and to throw the bridge-operatingmechanism into gear. After closing the gate again the proper adjustmentof the lever h will then raise the gates, and as soon as it isaccomplished the bridge-tender throws the lever h into normalposition,-in which all the parts are out of gear.

The principal advantages which we accomplish by our invention are,first, we lower the gates before the draw moves from its position, andcorrespondingly open the gates only after the draw is fully closed; and,further, there is the same safety on the draw that there is on thebridge. Thus no accident can occur from walking oif the bridge whenopen, which is by no means a rare occurrence, as

it is well known that many accidents have happened from leaving the endsof the draw unguarded whe n' open, and even if there are provisions madefor closing the ends of the draw it is generally accomplished by manuallabor in drawing chains or gates across the opening. WVith ourconstruction it will be seen that the whole operation is under thecontrol of the bridge-tender without requiring of that func tionary anymore labor than required in the ordinary construction of draws.

In an invention of this kind of course it is difficult to provide aconstruction which is adapted to all the various kinds of swingingdraw-bridges in ordinary use; but we are satisfied that the principlesinvolved in our invention may be applied under difierent circu mstancesand require nothing more than the ordinary exercise of mechanical skill.

What we claim is 1. In gates for swinging draw-bridgesthe combination oftwo gates arranged at the adjoining ends of the stationary and movablepart of the bridge, respectively, and having interlocking parts, wherebythe gates are adapted for joint operation when the draw is closed,substantially as described.

2. In gates for swinging draw-bridges, the combination of tworising'an'd falling gates arranged at the adjoining ends of thestationary and movable part of the bridge, respectively,and ofinterlocking tongues and grooves formed on said gates, respectively,

whereby the same are-adapted for joint operation, substantially asdescribed. I

3. In gates for swingingdraw-bridges, the

combination of four rising and falling'gates' D, mounted in pairs atopposite sidesof the draw and the adjoining ends of the draw,respectively, of interlocking parts'such as tongues and groovesbetweenthe gates of each pair, and. of actuating connection between the gatesof the draw and the motor for swinging the draw-bridge, substantially asdescribed.

4. In gates for swinging draw-bridges, the

combination, with the motor and draw-operating mechanism, of a shiftinggear and lever in said mechanism, and gates at theends of the draw,provided'with operating mechanism actuated by the motor through themedium of the shifting-gear in the draw-operating mechanism,substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In gates for swinging draw-bridges, the combination, with the motorand draw-operating mechanism, of a shifting-gear and shifting-lever insaid mechanism, verticallyoperating gates at the ends of the draw,similar gates at the adjoining ends of the bridge, adapted to interlockwith the gates of the draw, and operating mechanism for raising andlowering the gates of the draw through the medium of the shifting-gearin the drawoperating mechanism, substantially as described.

6. In gates for swinging draw-bridges, the

IIO

combination of the interlocking gates D D, mounted at the stationaryends of the bridge and the ends of the draw and adapted for jointoperation, the combined draw and gate gear 9, the circular rack 1,adapted to engage with the pinion f, the longitudinal shaft j,

. having beveled pinions k, adapted to engage with the bevel-pinion g,the transverse shaft n, operating the gates, and the shifting-lever h,all arranged to operate substantially as described.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures, in presence of twowitnesses, this 16th day of September, 1889.

BENJAMIN R. HOYT. LOUIS FRAOHER.

lVitnesses:

ED. MGBREARTY, P. M. HULBERT.

